Vucic falsely claims that he has not seen Putin for three and a half years

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has falsely claimed that he has not seen Russian President Vladimir Putin for the last three and a half years. This statement was relayed by Sputnik Serbia, other Serbian media and most Russian media, while Vucic was talking about his planned meeting with Putin on 9 May in Moscow.

Vucic said:

“I have not seen Putin for three years. And many have spoken to him secretly, and I know at least two world leaders who have spoken to him secretly,” Vucic said, Sputnik Serbia reported.

Vucic added that the meeting on 9 May would be his first with Putin in three and a half years.

Analysis:

Vučić saw Putin on February 17, 2023 in Beijing – Contrary to his claims, Vucic met Putin last year on the sidelines of an international meeting in Beijing. At the time, Vucic himself publicly confirmed the meeting, saying they had a “brief conversation”.

https://www.rferl.org/a/vucic-serbia-russia-putin

In February 2023, Vucic stated: “I saw President Putin and we spoke briefly, very briefly, we did not have a bilateral meeting.”

Vucic has ‘friendly’ meeting with Putin in China – Euractiv

This clearly shows that Vucic misled the public when he claimed that he had not seen Putin for three and a half years.

This disinformation has clear political motives – to minimise the relationship with the Kremlin in front of the international community, while at the same time building a narrative of strong ties with Moscow among the domestic public.

https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/vucic-has-friendly-meeting-with-putin-in-china/

https://n1info.rs/english/news/vucic-meets-putin-in-beijing/

https://www.kurir.rs/vesti/politika/9630570/vucic-u-intervjuu-sa-mariom-nafalom

https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/670422/vucic-svetski-lideri-tajno-razgovarali-sa-putinom

G. Venhari